Five Bible Verses to Boost Your Self-Worth
On my journey to understanding what God and the Bible say about self-love and self-worth, I discovered that the Bible teaches us a lot about how to love others—and then it hit me: we can apply these same principles to ourselves. We’ve all heard “love thy neighbor,” right? But how can we truly love others if we don’t love ourselves first? It’s like trying to pour from an empty coffee cup…there’s nothing to give.
And what about “treat others how you want to be treated” , but if we aren’t treating ourselves well, how can we possibly treat anyone else right? So today, we’re going to focus on applying the things God says about how we should treat others, to ourselves.
Let’s be honest—if you find it hard to pour love into yourself, it’s likely because you’re struggling to believe you’re even worth it. If you’re anything like me then it’s easy for you to shower others with love, understanding, and forgiveness, but when it comes to ourselves, we act like we’re undeserving. I believe by following what the Bible says about how we should treat others and applying it to ourselves, we can start seeing our own worth and learning to love ourselves in the process.
Five Bible Verses to Remind You of Your Worth and Guide You on How to Love Yourself
1. LUKE 6:31
“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Treat yourself with the same kindness, respect, and compassion that you would want from others. If we are called to show love and grace to others, we should start by offering it to ourselves first.
2. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
Apply these same qualities of love—patience, kindness, and forgiveness—to yourself. Be patient with your growth, kind to your flaws, and forgiving of your mistakes.
3. EPHESIANS 4:32
“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
Forgive yourself just as God forgives you. We often forgive others more easily than we forgive ourselves, but this verse encourages us to extend that same compassion inward. So, go ahead and be as tenderhearted with yourself as you are with others.
4. COLOSSIANS 3:12-14
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
Here’s the deal: if you’re supposed to “clothe” yourself in kindness and gentleness, maybe it’s time to stop wearing self-criticism and wrap yourself in forgiveness like your favorite oversized hoodie. It’s all about dressing yourself with love, even when the laundry’s piled up!
5. GALATIANS 5:14
“For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
This one’s easy—if you wouldn’t say it to your neighbor, stop saying it to yourself! This verse directly suggests that self-love and love for others are interconnected. By learning to love ourselves, we better equip ourselves to love others. Imagine telling your neighbor, “You’re a total failure for missing one workout.” Ridiculous, right? So why do we say it to ourselves? Time to be your own best neighbor.
You are DESERVING!
In a world that constantly reminds us to love others, it’s easy to forget that we, too, deserve that same love. The Bible doesn’t just teach us how to love our neighbor—it also gives us the tools to treat ourselves with kindness, grace, and forgiveness. Loving yourself isn’t selfish; it’s ESSENTIAL. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup. By embracing the love God has for us and applying the same compassion we show others to ourselves, we can begin to truly recognize our worth.
Remember, I’m not saying to love yourself more than others, but it’s just as important to love yourself as much as you love others. So go ahead, show yourself the same graciousness, care, and love that you so freely offer to everyone else. You deserve it.
